


Perks

by LadyOneiroi



Category: The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-25
Updated: 2013-07-25
Packaged: 2017-12-21 07:31:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/897568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyOneiroi/pseuds/LadyOneiroi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because once upon a time, Darry and Pony got along great.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Perks

Pony could tolerate a lot of things at 11. Being the biggest nerd in his middle school basically painted a giant target on the back of the kid’s head. There were very few perks to being Ponyboy Curtis, really. He was not a bawlbaby, not like Soda could be sometimes. Just because he did not cry, did not mean he did not have a breaking point, though. Curly Shepard was slowly shoving Pony towards that point.

The bigger kid kept giggling like a dumbass as he shoved Pony around. “Hey, Curtis." he sniggered. Pony ignored the boy as they stood at the front of their school, just biting the inside of his cheek as the bully continued shoving him around. “Curtis." Curly growled. Pony just took his father’s advice and ignored bullies. Curly was having non of it, and finally forced the smaller boy to the ground.

Fear must have flashed in Pony’s green-grey eyes, because the curly-headed kid grinned. Pony flinched and edged away, but Curly stepped closer. A car door slammed not too far away, and a voice said “Stay," and Pony returned the grin.

It didn’t register at first, but once Curly was lifted off his feet confusion set in fast. “Apologize." Pony’s rescuer growled, holding the sixth grader up by the back of his shirt. Curly kicked and fought and cursed, so the figure turned the younger boy around. Curly froze.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Darry Curtis." the Shepard squeaked.

"Do you know who he is?"

Curly hemmed and hawed for a moment before spitting out “Ponyboy."

"Right. And that’s my brother. So why—" Darry turned the petrified kid around to face Pony again, "—Are ya causing trouble with him?"

The implication was there. Darry was a local legend, six-foot two-inches of pure muscle, the kind of guy who could flatten Curly like a soda can. He could do it so easily it made Curly’s head spin. What’s worse, nobody would say anything if he did pummel the kid to Kingdom Come, because the sainted quarterback could do no wrong in the public eye.

"Apologize." Darry repeated, and Curly slowly ceased to panic.

“‘M sorry." Curly muttered.

"I didn’t catch that—"

"I’m sorry!"

Darry looked at his brother. Pony quirked his lips. “I didn’t buy that." he muttered. Darry quite literally shook a better apology out of Curly.

"I’m sorry I called you a panty-waisted nerd and stole your lunch and I’m sorry I called your ma a whore and I’m sorry I shoved you down, Jesus Christ, I swear I am!"

With that, Darry unceremoniously dropped the shaking kid, who looked between the brothers before beating a hasty retreat. Darry knelt to his brother with a grin, offering him a hand up. Pony took it and stood, giddy.

There weren’t a lot of perks to being Ponyboy Curtis, but having a brother like Darry was one of them.

**Author's Note:**

> It Came From My Tumblr IV: What Do You Mean There's No Shipping In This?
> 
> I wish we got to see more of Pony and Darry getting along in canon.
> 
> Critiques always welcome, just as I am always thankful you read my work!


End file.
